Beneath the AVS Surface Member News & Updates |
|
AVS Has a New Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Technical Group (EL) |
|
|
The Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Technical Group promotes fundamental basic and applied research using spectroscopic ellipsometry for classical materials science and optical thin film characterization to nanometer scale science and novel optical sensing concepts.
Research topics of the Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Technical Group traditionally focus on optical coatings and inorganic thin films characterization. In recent years there has been a multitude of new advances in instrumentation enabling real-time, spectroscopic data acquisition. These breakthroughs have triggered active research in analytical methods and AI, which is required to tackle the enormous data sets.
The technical group is particularly interested in the exchange of advances on ellipsometric investigations of novel optical and electronic materials and materials with subwavelength structures. Ellipsometry is essential for the characterization of thin films relevant for many industrial applications. For example, the characterization challenges faced in contemporary semiconductor fabrication processes provide inspiration for advances in the technique and its data analysis schemes. Recent advances in the technique which range from increasing accuracy and spectral range to novel acquisition procedures are fostered in this Technical Group.
In addition to the scientific mission, we support the community, including junior and minority scientists and engineers. As a tradition, we award the best student paper, which is selected based on the quality of the research, its presentation, and the discussion during the annual symposium where we organize sessions covering the following areas of interest:
- Industrial Applications of Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
- Optical Characterization of Thin Films and Nanostructures
- Novel Materials
- Instrumentation
- Big Data, AI and Analytical Methods
- Organic Films and Biological Materials
- Novel Applications and Theoretical Approaches
How to Join the Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Technical Group
The group is currently looking for new members to be leaders in the community and to contribute to and shape its activities.
To join: Interested AVS members can login to their MyAVS Account to add the EL Technical Group to their profile today, or you may contact the inaugural officers.
|
|
|
Catch up on 2022 Content in the AVS Technical Library |
|
|
If you find yourself with any downtime during the winter season, don't forget to review the 2022 content that has been added to the AVS Technical Library. The Technical Library houses AVS conference presentations as well as online educational training in fields related to materials, processing, and interfaces (Recommended Practices, books, monographs, videos, webinars, e-Talks, virtual programs, etc.).
AVS Members have complimentary access to all content in this portal as part of your membership benefits package. To access, please login to you MyAVS Account.
New for 2022:
- ALD/ALE 2022 Conference Presentations (audio-recorded talks synced with the slides and PDFs of the posters).
- AVS Professional Development Webinar: Skills and Strategies for Navigating Difficult Conversations and Negotiations
- Various technical e-Talks and Webinars
|
|
|
Combining Remote Plasma and Electron Beam-bombardment Enables Control of Surface Etching and Prevents Defects
|
Authors: Kang-Yi Lin, Christian Preischl, Christian Felix Hermanns, Daniel Rhinow, Hans-Michael Solowan, Michael Budach, Klaus Edinger, and G.S. Oehrlein
|
|
|
|
Innovative etching technique can be used to fabricate advanced atomic scale structures without introducing damage from ion bombardment.
Plasma-based dry etching is an atomic scale semiconductor manufacturing technique that bombards a surface with ions to controllably remove material. However, energetic ions and their momentum transfer can damage the top layers of a device, displacing atoms, increasing surface roughness, and removing unintended material. And as devices shrink to below the nanometer regime, that defect creation becomes more of a problem.
In the AVS Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A, researchers from the University of Maryland and Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH describe how electron beam-induced etching (EBIE) and a remote plasma source can be combined to fabricate atomic scale devices without introducing defects. They demonstrated the etching of SiO2 with Ar/CF4/O2 precursors and evaluated how the process depended on electron flood gun and remote plasma parameters.
“In our approach, we utilize a remote plasma source fed with gas mixtures to chemically modify the surface of materials in a very flexible fashion, while minimizing any etching,” said author Gottlieb Oehrlein. “Then etching is initiated by electron beam bombardment of the surface.”
The team was able to tailor the surface chemistry in a nearly continuous fashion, which allowed them to change the etching rates of different materials relative to each other. The process can be localized to achieve a degree of directionality by focusing the electron beam or be done more diffusely to take place over the entire substrate.
Selecting precursor chemistries for EBIE is challenging, as they need to react with the substrate without undergoing undesirable parallel reactions like carbon deposition.
“The remote plasma provides a new platform that activates and transports reactive effluents to the substrate for surface functionalization,” said Oehrlein. “It thus opens up a new process window for surface chemical modification and electron beam-induced etching.”
Plasma-based dry etching techniques combine radicals and ions to enhance the removal of materials. In a similar way, the EBIE technique merges plasma-generated radicals and electron bombardment.
“The synergistic effect of radicals and electrons allows us to address many important challenges in advanced manufacturing using a damage-free etching technique that offers exquisite control over many parameters,” said Oehrlein.
The new etching method provides possibilities for both direct pattern writing and conventional pattern transfer. The team sees many important and current challenges in atomic scale fabrication where the approach could be beneficial.
|
|
|
Calibratable Model Predicts Etch Bias in Multi-Patterning Processes
Authors: Prem Panneerchelvam, Ankur Agarwal, Chad M. Huard, Alessandro Vaglio Pret, Antonio Mani, Roel Gronheid, Marc Demand, Kaushik Kumar, Sara Paolillo, and Frederic Lazzarino
Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B 40, No. 6, Nov/Dec 2022
|
|
|
|
A physics-based computational model can identify defects and guide the implementation of optical proximity correction.
Modern semiconductor devices demand increasing precision and resolution in lithography systems. In recent years, the resolution demand has dropped to the tens of nanometers, well below the resolution limit of traditional immersion lithography. Multi-patterning techniques can be used to overcome this limit, but introducing more complexity also introduces more errors and defects.
In this environment, most defects are ‘hotspots,’ features with critical dimensions that exceed the required tolerances. These hotspots must be identified and corrected by modifying either the lithography process or the underlying photomask. In the latter case, optical proximity correction (OPC) can be used to adjust the photomask locally to compensate for defects.
In the AVS Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, researchers from KLA Corporation, Tokyo Electron Europe, and IMEC VZW developed physics-based calibratable models for lithography and etching to be used in a multi-patterning process. These models can guide the implementation of OPC to correct defects more easily and quickly.
While OPC is a powerful technique for eliminating hotspots, it requires detailed knowledge of the lithography and etch processes. The key value is the etch bias, the difference between critical dimensions pre- and post-etch. This value can vary across a wafer and depends on several different factors, so defining it accurately is challenging. This knowledge is typically gathered through extensive experimentation and can be a significant production bottleneck.
“We wanted to build an etch simulation tool that is physics-based so that these models could aid the OPC engineers with a better description of the etch bias,” said author Prem Panneerchelvam. “Using the models described in our paper, an OPC engineer can reduce the time-consuming and expensive experiments required.”
The models developed by the authors replace experiments without sacrificing the quality of the data. In tests, their models demonstrated a maximum error of 2 nanometers.
“Computational models like this offer rich three-dimensional information that can be crucial for accurately predicting hotspots and defects,” said Panneerchelvam.
Using their model for a sample process, the researchers discovered that the majority of the etch bias originated in the first etch step and identified the neutral-to-ion flux ratio in the plasma as an effective means to control that bias. Even though they calibrated their model using 1D structures, they found the resulting simulation was still accurate for 2D photomask structures.
“We hope to see these models being used in OPC engines so that we have better accuracy in predicting hotspots and defects that might arise at any stage of the process,” said Panneerchelvam.
|
|
|
Directional Detection of Dark Matter Using Solid-state Quantum Sensing
Authors: Reza Ebadi, Mason C. Marshall, David F. Phillips, Johannes Cremer, Tao Zhou, Michael Titze, Pauli Kehayias, Maziar Saleh Ziabari, Nazar Delegan, Surjeet Rajendran, Alexander O. Sushkov, F. Joseph Heremans, Edward S. Bielejec, Martin V. Holt, and Ronald L. Walsworth
Publication: AVS Quantum Sci. 4, 044701 (2022)
|
|
|
|
Materials for Energy and the Environment – Reference Spectra of Battery-related Materials |
|
|
Providing reliable reference spectra of battery-related materials is important with the increasing surface characterization studies of battery materials specifically in the context of before and after cell operation to determine any chemical changes. With this in mind, survey and high-energy resolution data are reported in the recently featured article in Surface Science Spectra ( SSS), “ Li7P2S8Br0.5I0.5 (LPSBI) solid state electrolyte by XPS” by Lyndi E. Strange, Mark H. Engelhard, Zhaoxin Yu and Dongping Lu. The data present narrow-scan regions of I 3d, I 4d, Br 3d, O 1s, P 2p, S 2p, and C 1s core-level spectra, as well as wide-scan survey data obtained using the Al Kα x-ray source. |
|
|
This article opens a new SSS Special Topic Collection, Materials for Energy and the Environment. SSS welcomes the submission of datasets from materials relating to energy and the environment. Appropriate materials for this Special Topic include not only those being studied for energy conversion and storage, but also those which are used to aid in energy saving and the overall reduction of carbon emissions.
This collection is open to all techniques published in SSS, so consider submitting your XPS, AES, ToF-SIMS, SE, UV-vis, or LEIS data. Authors should use the appropriate recently updated technique-specific template to complete their submission. During submission, you will have an opportunity to tell us that your paper is a part of the Collection by choosing the Special Topic Collection “Materials for Energy and the Environment.” |
|
|
|
Gold Nanoparticle Design for RNA Compaction
Authors: Jessica A. Nash, Matthew D. Manning, Alexey V. Gulyuk, Aleksey E. Kuznetsov, and Yaroslava G. Yingling
Publication: Biointerphases 17, 061001 (2022)
|
|
|
|
AVS Journals Announcements and Open Topics - Calls for Papers |
|
|
AVS Quantum Science (AQS):
JVST A:
JVST B:
Biointerphases:
Surface Science Spectra (SSS):
|
|
|
Atomic Level Characterization for New Materials and Devices (ALC'22) |
|
|
Dates: October 16-21, 2022
Location: Okinawa, Japan
The 14th International Symposium “Atomic Level Characterization for New Materials and Devices ’22 (ALC’22)” was held at Bankoku Shinryokan in Okinawa, Japan from October 16 (Sun) to 21 (Fri), 2022, under the organization of the Division of Microbeam Analysis (MBA), the Japan Society of Vacuum and Surface Science (JVSS).
The series of international symposia on ALC focus on practical applications of atomic level characterization (both atomic dimensions and energy levels) of new materials and devices, including bio- and organic materials as well as inorganics. Descriptions of new applications and instrumentation for various analytical techniques of surfaces and interfaces have been provided in these symposia. The goal is to promote stimulating discussions among researchers specializing in different probe methods.
The ALC symposia started in 1996 in Kyoto, Japan and has been held biennially. Following ALC’19, ALC’21 was initially planned to be held in 2021 but was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (instead, ALC'21 Online was held virtually as a pre-meeting for ALC'22). Although Japan faced the sixth and seventh waves of COVID-19 infections in 2022, ALC’22 was held in-person to provide face-to-face communication. Strict measures against COVID-19 enabled ALC’22 to be successfully completed without serious problems.
A total of 283 people (including accompanying persons) participated from 21 countries in ALC’22. Most participants gathered at the conference site, and there were only a few remote presentations. Okinawa is the southern island in Japan, and Bankoku Shinryokan is surrounded by the beautiful emerald ocean. In such an open atmosphere, the participants enjoyed meeting and discussion, which had been limited during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were a total of 232 papers presented. They consisted of two Plenaries, two Tutorials, three MBA Award lectures, a Sakaki Award lecture, 79 invited presentations, 43 contributed oral presentations, and 103 posters.
Twelve companies showcased their products and services. The MBA and Sakai Awards are respectively awarded to non-members and members of the Division of MBA, JVSS for outstanding research achievements in the field of microbeam analysis. In this symposium, the MBA Awards were presented to:
- Prof. Hannes Lichte from Technische Universität Dresden for the research on electron interferometry and holography for material analysis
- Prof. Claus. M. Schneider from Research Center Juelich for the development of advanced measurement techniques and the research of spin-related phenomena
- Prof. Karl-Heinz Ernst from Empa for the research on dynamic motion and chiral properties of molecules on surface.
Dr. Ken Harada from RIKEN received the Sakai Award for his research on electron interferometry.
One of the important functions of the ALC symposia is to encourage young scientists in the field of microbeam analysis. The Student Award and Excellent Presentation Award are designed for this purpose. This year, three students and nine young researchers (including students) won the Student Awards and the Excellent Presentation Awards, respectively.
The ALC’22 program started with a Welcome Reception on the Sunday evening. On Monday morning, there was a single session including the Plenary lecture by Prof. Maki Kawai from National Institutes of Natural Sciences, the Tutorial, MBA Award lecture by Prof. Hannes Lichte, and the Sakaki Award lecture by Dr. Ken Harada.
There were three parallel oral sessions in the afternoon, and virtual lab tours to Okinawa Institute of Technology, Japan, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan, and Institute for Molecular Science, Japan, and science cafe for young Japanese scientists to discuss working in industry and abroad were organized as rump sessions in the evening. On Tuesday, the MBA Award lecture by Prof. Karl-Heinz Ernst, three parallel oral sessions, and a poster session were arranged from morning to evening.
On Wednesday, after Prof. Frank Meyer zu Heringdorf from University of Duisburg-Essen and Prof. Claus. M. Schneider respectively presented the Plenary and MBA Award lectures in the morning, three parallel oral sessions continued until evening. After the oral sessions, a poster session was held. On the Thursday morning, Dr. Masakazu Aono from MANA/NIMS presented a Tutorial lecture, and then, there were two parallel oral sessions. In the afternoon and evening, the participants enjoyed the excursion and banquet. On the morning of the final day, there were two parallel oral sessions and the closing ceremony.
These sessions covered a full range of topics related to atomic level characterizations. In addition to conventional research topics ranging from fundamental phenomena like electron/ion/photon-solid interactions, various characterization/imaging techniques such as electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry, to applications for nano-materials and advanced materials like topological materials, ALC’22 organized six special sessions; Micro-analysis using novel quantum beam, Evolution of scanning probe techniques for materials analysis, Operando spectroscopy and ambient pressure measurements, Materials informatics and machine learning, Quantum sensing in metrology and imaging, and Ion beam analysis for nano & bio materials.
These special topics not only covered current most active research areas, but also anticipated future research trends. Therefore, they attracted intense attention from many participants. One such topic is ultrafast band imaging by momentum microscopy, which will lead to the understanding of electron dynamics under an ultrashort photon pulse and the development of ultrafast electronic/photonic devices. Another topic is advanced atom probe tomography, which could contribute to the development of electronic and electrochemical devices such as solar cells and batteries. New techniques for bioimaging were also a major topic.
The next ALC symposium is planned to be held in 2024. The symposium hopes to provide a good opportunity for participants to actively exchange research results and information. ALC’24 is looking forward to participation from all interested in atomic level characterizations.
|
|
|
48th Conference on the Physics and Chemistry of Surfaces and Interfaces (PCSI-48)
|
|
|
January 15-19, 2023
Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina
The 48th Conference on the Physics and Chemistry of Surfaces and Interfaces (PCSI-48) will be held at Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina in Redondo Beach, California, USA, from Sunday afternoon, January 15, through Thursday noon, January 19, 2023.
The annual PCSI conference is devoted to achieving a fundamental understanding of the physical, chemical, biological, structural, optical, magnetic, and electrical properties of surfaces and interfaces. These studies include novel growth processes and interfacial phenomena, new characterization tools, transport, and functionality of the structures for future devices. Generous amounts of discussion time will be included in the program in order to emphasize the workshop character and to stimulate the exchange of new ideas.
An AVS Quantum Science Workshop will be held immediately following PCSI-48.
PCSI-48 Invited Speakers:
- Denis Candido (University of Iowa)
- Norbert Esser (TU Berlin and Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaten-ISAS-e.V., Germany)
- Mark Friesen (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Shizuo Fujita (Kyoto University, Japan)
- Alex Grutter (National Institute for Science and Technology)
- Nancy Haegel (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
- Peter Hommelhoff (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany)
- Takuji Hosoi (Kwansei Gakuin University)
- Jia Leo Li (Brown University)
- Wojciech Pacuski (Univ. of Warsaw)
- Joan Redwing (The Pennsylvania State University)
- Anthony Rice (NREL)
- Cedric Robert (LPCNO, CNRS INSA Toulouse, France)
- Jared Rovny (Princeton University)
- Gordon Schmidt (Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Germany)
- James Speck (University of California, Santa Barbara)
- Rainer Timm (Lund University)
- Qimin Yan (Temple University)
- Yongsoo Yang (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea)
- Igor Zutic (University at Buffalo-SUNY)
|
|
|
AVS Quantum Science Workshop at PCSI-48 |
|
|
January 19-20, 2023 (Following PCSI-48)
Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina
FREE for PCSI-48 Registrants ($250.00 for Workshop Only Registration)
With the emergence of a range of innovative technologies, we can now create quantum objects that are extremely well defined, well characterized, and well controlled. This AVS Quantum Science Workshop will cover topics which interface micro-fabrication and materials science with quantum science. It will have three sessions that cover Quantum Computing, Quantum Information, and Quantum Sensing. Topics will cover superconducting qubits, color centers, ion traps, and quantum metrology as well as advances in the technologies that enable quantum information processing. These include but are not limited to: single photon amplifiers, multiplexers and advances in cryogenic systems, vacuum technology, microwave to optical conversion schemes, etc. Challenges in achieving high performance entangled devices and making precision measurements using quantum systems will be addressed. Apart from the oral sessions, we will have a discussion panel, which will provide an opportunity for researchers to interact with their peers in the field.
- Victor Acosta (UNM)
- Joel Q. Grim (Naval Research Laborartory)
- Nathan P. Guisinger (Argonne National Laboratory)
- Jared Hertzberg (IBM Research)
- Erika Janitz (ETH Zürich, Switzerland)
- Luis A. Jauregui (University of California, Irvine)
-
Hannes Kraus (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
- An-Ping Li (Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
- Tongcang Li (Purdue University)
- David Pappas (Rigetti Computing)
- Kristen Pudenz (Atom Computing)
- Jennifer M. Schloss (Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory)
- Ron Walsworth (University of Maryland)
|
|
|
49th International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings & Thin Films (ICMCTF 2023)
|
|
|
May 21-26, 2023
Town and Country Resort and Conference Center
San Diego, California
The 49th International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films (ICMCTF 2023) is the premier international conference in the field of thin film deposition, characterization, and advanced surface engineering promoting global exchange of ideas and information among scientists, technologists, and manufacturers. Attendees from all over the world come to present their findings, exchange ideas, share insights, make new friends, and renew old acquaintances.
ICMCTF 2023 will include more than more than 90 high-profile invited speakers, in over 50 sessions, across fourteen technical and topical symposia. There will be several special interest talks and featured lectures, as well as focused topic sessions, short courses, an equipment exhibition, an awards program, and daily social networking events.
Short Courses:
Eight half-day short courses covering topics related to thin film deposition, characterization, and advanced surface engineering will be held during ICMCTF 2023 from Sunday-Thursday, May 21-25, 2023. All short courses will include detailed course notes and will run from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 1:30-5:30 p.m. Cost: $250 Regular and Student Attendees.
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Monday, May 22, 2023
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Thursday, May 25, 2023
The equipment exhibition is a great place to network and learn about new products, services, and application techniques that will help improve all facets of R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality Control, and general laboratory operations. Visit the exhibit hall for FREE (by registering as Exhibits Only) on Tuesday, May 23, from 12:00-7:00 p.m. and Wednesday, May 24, from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. There are also discounted conference registration rates for those in the San Diego area.
Technical Program, Mobile App, Housing, Conference and Short Course Registration, plus Call for Late Breaking Abstracts will launch in late December.
|
|
|
Upcoming AVS Sponsored Events |
|
|
January 15-19, 2023
Redondo Beach, California
|
|
May 21-26, 2023
San Diego, California
|
|
July 23-26, 2023
Bellevue, Washington
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
